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CISA Practice Question: Uses role-based access control (RBAC) for its…
An organization uses role-based access control (RBAC) for its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. What is the greatest risk if user role assignments are not reviewed regularly?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the operational impact of role reviews (privilege creep) with other access control issues like password policies or logging, which are separate concerns in the Protection of Information Assets domain.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Privilege creep, where users retain permissions no longer needed.
In RBAC, permissions are assigned to roles, and users inherit those permissions through role membership. Without regular reviews, users may retain roles (and thus permissions) long after their job functions change, leading to privilege creep. This violates the principle of least privilege and increases the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches within the ERP system.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Inconsistent application of password policies across roles.
Why it's wrong here
Password policies are typically applied globally, not role-specific.
- ✓
Privilege creep, where users retain permissions no longer needed.
Why this is correct
Privilege creep increases the attack surface and risk of unauthorized access.
- ✗
Increased authentication failures due to expired passwords.
Why it's wrong here
Password expiration is separate from role reviews.
- ✗
Inability to track audit logs for user activity.
Why it's wrong here
Log tracking is independent of role reviews.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CISA exam.